(a) Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to combination locks, and more particularly to a combination lock that is provided with a master key, which can be used to recover a lost combination.
(b) Description of the Related Art
Generally, a resettable multiple dial combination lock has reset dials connected to the interior surfaces of outer dials. To reset the combination of such a lock, the outer dials are turned to the correct combination, and a reset button is then pressed. The reset dials move along with the reset button, disengaging from the outer dials, which allows the outer dials to freewheel. Upon the reset button's release, the reset dials slide into and engage with the outer dials once more, resetting the combination to that shown by the new positions of the outer dials. However, once a combination to such a lock is lost or forgotten, it can be extremely difficult to recover.
A rotary lock includes a single dial, which rotates a spindle that passes through clearance holes in the centers of wheels (one wheel for each number in the combination), and turns a drive cam located behind the wheels. A drive pin protruding from the front surface of the drive cam engages a wheel fly on the back surface of the backmost wheel. Each wheel has one wheel fly on its back surface and one on its front, such that each wheel is rotated by the wheel directly behind it. In dialing the first number in the combination, a user rotates the dial several complete rotations clockwise, such that all the wheel flies are engaged with one another, and thus all the wheels are rotating, until the frontmost wheel is at its unlocking position. At its unlocking position, a notch in the wheel is directly below a fence. This is repeated counterclockwise for the second wheel, and so on until all wheels are at their unlocking positions, at which point the fence falls into the notches, unlocking the lock.
Other combination locks have been provided with a master key feature. While such a feature may permit opening of the lock without the combination, it does not facilitate recovery of a lost combination.